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Megalodon
Carcharodon Megalodon, more commonly known as just Megalodon ("Big Tooth"), was a enormous prehistoric shark from the Miocene to Pleistocene epochs. It was the largest predatory fish to ever exist and was essentially a giant great white shark. Facts Time/Era/Period Megalodon lived from the Oligocene to the Pleistocene from 25–1.2 million years ago. It was the apex predator of the seas during its day. Their extinction was caused by Ice Age climate changes. As the Ice Age began, the whales Megalodon preyed on migrated to colder waters, where the shark could not follow. As a result, Megalodon was doomed into extinction by hunger. However, some paleontologists and other scientists believe that Megalodon could still be alive today in the 21st century. Size/Description Megalodon was that largest shark ever to roam the seas, larger than a whale shark, and was not only the largest carnivorous fish ever discovered, but was also that largest predatory creature that ever lived on Planet Earth, rivaling and even surpassing the size of predatory dinosaurs like Giganotosaurus and even Tyrannosaurus Rex as well as other sea monsters like Cymbospondylus, Dunkleosteus, Tylosaurus, Basilosaurus, ''and even ''Liopleurodon. Megalodon averaged over 50 to 60 feet (15.3 to 18.3 m) long and weighed more than 12 to 60 tons (24,000 to 100,000 lbs.) However, some specimens have been discovered to have measured in excess of 75 feet (23 m) in length and weighed as much as 70 tons (180,000 lbs.). Megalodon were basically oversized great white sharks. As such, they had the same overall physical appearance (with darker colored skin on top and lighter colored skin on the bottom), only they were well over three times the size. By the time a adolescent Megalodon reached three years of age, they could have measured just over 20 feet (6.1 m) long and weighed at least 3 tons. Full–grown Megalodon were 20 times the weight of juveniles. Behavior As essentially giant great white sharks, Megalodon behaved the same way. For instance, much like young great whites, juvenile Megalodon preferred to live in shallow waters away from adults. It was partially for their own safety, but additionally they fed on different and smaller species of prey. But whether juveniles or adults, Megalodon had some of the same hunting strategies as modern great white sharks. Because they didn't want their prey to attack them back, these giant sharks snuck up from under their prey and landed devastating attacks. As relatives of great white sharks, the juvenile Megalodon therefore attacked their prey in an identical way. However, when adult Megalodon hunted, they swam bellow further into the deep, dark oceans in order for them to gain more momentum. Once they gained enough, they swam incredibly fast directly towards the surface to their prey and struck with intensely powerful force. Megalodon was a species of shark that actually attacked living whales, and even very large ones at that. In my Journals Gallery imagesCA3RT9MX.jpg Megalodon.jpg Megalodon.png SM1x2 Megalodon.jpg Category:Prehistoric Animals Category:Sharks Category:Fish Category:Sea Monsters Category:Sea Creatures Category:Miocene Animals Category:Beasts (Life After Dinosaurs) Category:Predators Category:Creature of Interest